Inner latch for auto hoods



June 21, 1932. E. R. MARBACH INNER LATCH FOR AUTO HOODS Filed Jan. 2, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet June 21, 1932.

E. R. MARBACH INNER LATCH FOR AUTO HOODS Filed Jan. 2, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 21, 1932 EDWARD R. MABBACH,

ICE I OF CLEVELAND, OHIO INNER LATCH FOR AUTO HOODS Application filed January 2,

M invention relates to latches for auto hood s and particularly to latches operated within the hoods but actuated by'pivoted hand lever extending outward through a slot 6 in the hood, though the improvement is not necessarily limited to securing'means to an auto hood, but may be used for securing any rigid plate into contact with another at an angle to it, in any instance the lever being carried by the movable plate and extending outward through a slot therein.

It is an object ofmy invention to mount the actuating lever upon the inner face of the hood in such manner as to readily afford a toggle action thereof as the lever is actuated to open or close the latch. It is a further purpose of my improved structure to mount a rigid hook member upon the base of the vehicle body but within the hood, to receive a link extending downwardly from said lever and having a hook on its lower end to engage the rigid hook member as the lever is tightened.

Further, the elements of the latch that 7 form the toggle mechanism are wholly within the hood thereby protected from inJury or undesired operation, although the actuation of the latch mechanism is under the control of external forces which it is my intention shall usually be manual and therefore well adapted for operation by a simple and unitary member such as a swinging lever readily extending outward through the hood.

To accomplish the purpose above stated, it is a special object of my invention'to provide the above mentioned toggle action by two pivoted elements-the link and lever above mentioned, the link being pivoted to, the lever and affording effective removable connection with the rigid toe or hook, and the lever being pivoted to a rigid portion of the hood as well as to the link. The ens- 1;;- tire toggle mechanism may be said to be mounted upon the hinge pin of the lever.

In explaining my invention in further detail I shall make reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 1s a side elevation of the hood of an automobile, showing the outer ends of the actuating levers ofthree latches;

1931. Serial N0. 506,050.

Figure 2 is a detail view in side elevation looking outward from the inner part of the hood, and showing a form of the invention utilizing a narrow form of link;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of a latch mechanism and related parts of the hood, taken in a 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, bu showing the latch in full lines partly released, 00 and in dotted lines fully released.

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation somewhat modified from the first form, but otherwise viewed as in Fig. 2, and

Figure 6 is a transverse section of the form 05 shown in Fig. 5, showing the parts in latched position.

For the purpose of mounting the latch mechanism forming my invention for operation, I have provided what I term a box plate 5 which is riveted or bolted to the hood 6 on the inner surface of the latter and spaced somewhat above the lower edge 7 of the hood, as shown in the views 2 to 6 of the drawings. The floor of the engine chamber is provided with the more or less conventional flanged plate 8 against which the hood plate will be urged b the latch mechanism when latched, and within the hood I have provided a slotted hook member having its base portion 9 apertured for riveting or bolting to the base plate 10, and its upper edge bent obliquely to the vertical to provide a flat latch bar longitudinally horizontal and the extreme lateral edge thereof higher than the other edge and 95 above the slot 11 for engagement therewith by a hooked portion of an actuating link.

The slot 11 results in spaced vertlcal standards 12 integral with the oblique bar 13 which will resist any upward'strain thereupon by the hook 14 of the link 15. The side plate to the hood 6 is provided with one or more openings l6'just beneath which the upper edge of plane indicated by the line a box plate 5 is positioned when the latter is secured to the inner face of the hood plate. The lateral edges of each plate 5 are bent inwardly in parallelism as indicated at 17, and the lower ends of these sides 17 are bent toward each other at 18 to form guide tubes for the link 15, as will be later explained. mo

The said link is formed of heavy wire bent upon itself to form spaced and substantially parallel sides 19, and the bent or hooked portion of the link 15 is formed by bending the connecting portion of said sides 19 bodily toward the latter.

This connecting portion 20 thereby forms the point of the hook 14 of the link 15, connected integrally at 21 with said sides, the latter being further bent intermediate their ends and at an obtuse angle in an opposite direction to the hook 14. The extreme upper ends of the sides 19 are bent oppositely at 22,

in the form shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, for removable connection with the actuating lever later to be described.

I have formed the actuating element for the link 15 as an angular lever rocking in the slot 16 transverse of the hood and upon a fixed pivot within the hood. The upper portion of this lever, designated generally by the numeral 23, comprlses a flat plate 24 as it would appear in plan, and having lateral flange portions 25' bent downwardly in parallelism, as shown in Fig. 4, these flanges beingeach stamped out from the plate to form portions notched at therebydividing each of these flanges into integral parts intersecting at an acute angle, whereby to provide a handle portion 26 including the plate 24 having an inner end 27 extending upwardly substantially above the said notch 30, and beyond the outline of the flange portions '25 and thereby affording a slammer member for striking the inner surface of the hood plate when the latch is closed. The outer end 28 of the plate will always remain on the outer surface of the hood, and will be held out of contact with the outer surface of the said hood, when part 27 contacts the said inner surface.

of the sides 19 of the link 15, and the lower.

apertures 32 adjacent the inner ends of the flange portions 29 and adapted to be mounted in line with apertures 33 in the upper ends of the sides 17 of the plate 5 to provide a fulcrum for the lever 23, the parts being detachably connected by a cotter pin 34 to provide read swinging movement of the said lever bodi y upon the box plate 5; The outwardly bent portion 35 of the link 15 always remainswithln the flanges 29 but out of contact therewith in the form just described, and the lower sides 19 are positioned within the i sides 17 of the box 5, and held against inward movement by the lugs 18.v

I Because of the pivoting of the lever 23 upon the fulcrum 34, it will be evident that upward movement of the handle26, as shown in Fig. 4, will swing the lugs 22 of the link 15 in an are about the fulcrum while at the same time lowering the hook 14. after an initial lateral movement thereof, as shown in full'lines in Fig. 4, and thereby releasing the latch engagement with the bar 13. Thetransverse distance of the latter bar from the lugs 18 will obviously remain substantially uniform, since the bar "13 is fixed, and the lugs secured to the hood. Because of these relative distances a succession of movements of the hook 14 quite different in their character and direction results from the continuous movement of the handle 26 u wardly, the full line position of the lever in ig. 4, representing an intermediate position of the hook 14,

while a' downward movement of the handle 26 will swing the lever 23 and the lugs 22 of the connecting link 15 as a unit man are about the pivot 34 while raising and laterally shifting the hook 14 until it engages the bar 13. The pivot point of the lugs 22 is out of alinement with the lever fulcrum and lower edge of the said bar 13, and the member 27 strikes the upper edge of the slot 16 in the plate 6 handle 26 to the full line position in Fig. 4;

will not result in wholly disconnecting the hook 14 from the bar 13, but will shift the hook 14 toward the hood wall, to a position where the tip 20 of the hook is almost out ofcontact with the bar, this because the lugs 22 swin ing about the pivot 34, is not lower in said mtermediateposition than in the closed position of Fig. 3. From this intermediate position however, further lifting of the handle 26 to the dotted .line position of Fig. 4, will lower the lugs 22 and also the hook 14 to a Pressing the handle 26 down will result in reverse order-of operations, the hook 14 first rising, and then moving into contact with the bar 13 firmly engaging the latter.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a latch structure for a purpose identical with that contemplated, in the structure above described.

In such modification, it will sometimes be vcon-- sidered advisable to provide an actuating lever 40 .having the inner flange arms41" correspondingly, so that the lugs 43 will bebent inwardly in this modification toward the flanges 41 to enter the upper apertures 44 in the lever arms. This second form does not however change the outward bending of the:

osition out of'contact with the barlno I bers 47 on the outside of the arms 41 and di-' rected inwardly therethrough has certain bracing qualities more positive for some of the heavier cars, than the mounting of the narrower link members 19 between the more widely separated arms or flanges 29 of the first form. The point 50 of the hook in this modified form will be bent upwardly and somewhat oblique with the sides 47, and will engage the inclined bar 51 which latter is mounted in the samemanner as in the preferred form, though being somewhat longer to receive the broader hook 52 resulting from the more separated sides 47. The latter structure will serve to effectively resist lateral sliding movement of the edge of the hood upon the base plate 10.

The operation of my improved latch in either of the forms disclosed, is rendered very positive and effective because of the pivoting of the operating lever carrying the swinging link and its integral hook upon the hood itself, by means of the hinging thereof at a. single point by the cotter pin 34 or other form of pin as 46, upon the sides 17 of the case 5 as shown in the drawings. The swinging movement of the lever in latching or releasing the hook results in a very strong upward movement of the hook whereby the annoying rattle of the various forms of hood latches heretofore used on auto hoods, is almost wholly eliminated, and this accomplished without the use of spring members often subject to dismemberment and requiring repair. This great advantage results from the constant strain of the link mechanisms 15 or 42 which are never released except by a manual lifting action of the outer end 28 of the lever. 1

A further advantage results also from the mounting of the entire device on the inside of the hood, with the exception of the outer end of the lever extending out through the slot in the hood, which lever end is desi nod to be pressed down and the extension 2 striking against the edge of the slot in the hood when the latch is fastened. g

' In the drawings I have illustrated my hood latch and have described 'it in the specification as being especially serviceable for securing the hood in an automobile in its lower position, it is not my intention to restrict such use of my latch -to this particular purpose, but I desire to specify that my improved structure may well be used for detachably securing together other parts or members, and especially members that are normally mounted one at an angle to the other.

'What I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a latch for auto hoods, a fixed and rigid latch element on the chassis and within the hood, comprising a horizontal, oblique bar supported on vertical standards, a link member having a lower hook end oblique to the vertical for engaging said latch bar, a transverse angular lever pivoted to the hood on its inner face and extending outwardly through a slot therein, vertical guide members mounted on the inner face of the hood, said link being pivoted at its upper end to the lever at a point above the hood pivot, and guided for vertical movement in said members whereby lowering the outer end of the lever will raise and inwardly move the link to engage said fixed latch bar.

2. In a latch for auto hoods, a fixed latch element on the chassis and within the hood, comprising a horizontal, oblique bar supported on vertical standards, a plate mounted on the inner face'of said hood, a vertical guide member mounted on said plate, there being a vertical slot in the hood above said plate, an angular transverse lever movable outwardly through said slot and pivoted upon said plate, an integral link member compris ing metal cable bent upon itself into spaced parallel sides, the loop formed by the latter at their junction being bent bodily upon itself to' form a hook for engaging the fixed oblique latch bar, and the sides of the llnk being movable in said guide member and having their ends bent laterally for mounting pivotally upon the said lever above its fulcrum, whereby lowering the outer end of the lever will swing the bent ends of the link upwardly and outwardly and thereby raise the bent link hook to engage-said oblique latch bar. I

' 3. In a latch for auto hoods, a fixed latch bar mounted on the chassis and within the hood, a flanged plate mounted on the inner the hood and pivoted upon the flanges ofthe l hood plate, and the flanges beyond the notches being outside the hood to strengthen the lever and the inner end of said elongated plate serving to avoid swinging of the lever beyond a desired limit, a metal link member having a lower and upwardly bent hook end for engaging said latch bar and spaced lugsat its upper end for pivotally engaging the inner flanges of said lever, said link being positioned within said flanges and guided in its movement within said flanged hood plate, so

that swinging the lever will actuate the lower 00k end of the link, to engage the said latch 4. In a latch for auto hoods, a fixed latch bar on the chassis and within the hood, 9. guide member secured to theinner face of the hood and comprising a flanged plate having spaced vertical flanges on whose lower ends are integral lugs directed toward each other, there being a vertical slot in the hood above said guide member, a transverse actuating lever mounted in said slot and comprising an elongated plate having lateral edge flanges bent into substantial parallelism an each being notched to form a pair of separated flanges one flange being wholly within the hood and pivoted upon a flange of the guide member and the flange beyond the notch being outside the hood to strengthen the lever, and the inner' end of said elongated plate serving to strike the wall of the hood just above the slot to avoid swinging of the lever beyond a desired limit, each of said inner flanges of the lever having a pair of apertures s aced vertically, a cross pin for hinging the ibwer apertures upon the flanges of the guide memher, and a link member comprising a hook for engaging said "latch bar and bent ends for en aging the upper of said apertures.

11 witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of December, 1930.

' EDWARD R. MARBACH. 

